The Slasher (Cosh Boy) Blu-ray

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Directed by Lewis Gilbert
UK 1953

A gang of teenage delinquents, led by Roy (James Kenney, Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.), is earning money by mugging women on the streets of London. The boys are making substantial profits, until the police catch up with them. At their hearing, the magistrate passes a fairly lenient sentence with the suggestion that they join a youth club and reform their ways. But while there, the delinquents use the building as a base for their growing operation, intimidating other members of the club, increasing their numbers and slowly getting in over their heads. Co-starring screen and television legend Joan Collins (The Bitch and TV’s Dynasty) and directed by James Bond veteran Lewis Gilbert (You Only Live Twice, The Spy Who Loved Me).

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The British Cosh Boy was unsubtly but appropriately retitled The Slasher in the U.S. James Kenney plays Roy Walsh, one of the most thoroughly unpleasant characters ever to appear on screen. When he's not busy beating and robbing the aged and infirm, Roy enjoys slapping around his lady friends. And then one day, he goes too far. Based on a stage play by Bruce Walker, in which James Kenney also starred, Cosh Boy makes few concessions to taste and propriety; as a result, it was in for quite a going over when released stateside. Among the women abused by the "hero" in the course of the film is Joan Collins in one of her first important roles.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: February 1953

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Review: Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Coming out on Blu-ray in the UK by BFI, January 20th, 2020 Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:15:38.534
Video	1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,379,709,348 bytes Feature: 19,993,534,464 bytes Video Bitrate: 31.91 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1553 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1553 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Kino 1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,379,709,348 bytes Feature: 19,993,534,464 bytes Video Bitrate: 31.91 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Alt US Opening (2:54) • Trailers Blu-ray Release Date: January 7th, 2019 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 9

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (December 2019): Kino have released The Slasher (aka "Cosh Boy") on Blu-ray in the US. It is also coming out by BFI on Blu-ray in January 2020 HERE on their 'Flipside' label. This came out as part of a British Noir Double Feature on DVD by VCI in 2010 (Reviewed HERE) and we have compared some captures below. The restoration looks solid with very consistent grain textures, layered contrast and depth. It looks very pleasing and clean in 1080P. The 1 1/4 hour feature is on a single-layered disc with a high bitrate. I expect the BFI to look very similar.

NOTE: 38 more full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray captures for Patrons are available HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master track (16-bit) in the original English language. It offers clean, audible, dialogue and a subtle score by Lambert Williamson (Track the Man Down, and Michael Powell's magnificent The Edge of the World his first composure credit!) sounding supportive. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray has 3-minutes of the US opening with "The Slasher" title appearing and some other trailers as supplements. The upcoming BFI will offer shorts by director Lewis Gilbert, a new interview with Ian Whittaker and a booklet.

The Slasher (aka "Cosh Boy") isn't really a Noir but has a realism and edginess - described by BFI as "a penetrating portrait of 1950s Britain and its simmering social tensions. One, of not the first British films to receive an 'X' certificate". I was a bit shocked by the ending that definitely would not fly in today's politically correct climate. Great to see super-young Joan Collins (19 I think). I think a commentary or further extras would have been a nice addition but the price is right for this, essentially, bare-bones Blu-ray. that I am glad I saw in such an improved presentation over the muddy DVD transfer.

Gary Tooze

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